


Deliverance

by UnknownOutrider



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition, Gen, Undead, Whitestone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 00:33:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6400342
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnknownOutrider/pseuds/UnknownOutrider
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Pike is "astral projected" to Whitestone by her goddess in order to assist her friends, the rest of Vox Machina, as they fight to free the city from the control of the Briarwoods.</p>
<p>This is my attempt to fill in some of the details that was left out: what was going on with Pike's body, how she met up with Keeper Yennen; and document her triumphant return to Vox Machina.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deliverance

_During Critical Role - Episode 32, Against the Tide of Bone, I became concerned about what was happening to Pike’s body as her awareness was in Whitestone with Vox Machina. After all, her body being harmed would be disastrous and possibly cause her to disappear from Whitestone. Also, how did she meet up with Keeper Yennen? So, this is my attempt to fill in the missing details - and chronicle Pike’s triumphant return._ **  
**

* * *

 

For some time now, Pike had been feeling uneasy about her friends, Vox Machina. The letter from Lady Allura detailing recent events involving Vox Machina only made her unease worse. _Vampires! Accused of treachery to the Crown! Oh, Sarenrae!_ Additionally, for the last 2 nights, she had nightmares involving Vox Machina, especially Percy, and some great evil, or was it evils? This had prompted her to spend her evenings in prayer for protection for her friends - no - her family.

When she knelt for this night’s prayers, Pike had a vision of Sarenrae.

**_“My beloved child,”_** Sarenrae’s hand reached out and cupped Pike’s cheek, **_“those whom you rightly name family call out to Me for help, because they have seen My power in you. They face an abomination, a horrible evil that plagues the land. They are in great peril.”_**

“I want to help them!” Pike’s heart pounded in frantic worry.

Sarenrae smiled at Pike’s ready willingness to help. **_“I am sending you to their side. They need you.”_**

“I’ll leave immediately! To where do I travel, My Lady? Will I need a ship?”

**_“There is no time for you to travel by normal means. They need you now, this instant. I am sending your soul as a spirit-avatar. Now come, My warrior, time to be My Fist.”_ **

As Pike’s soul left, her body slumped to the floor.

* * *

 

Amurii carried the evening’s tea to Lady Pike’s quarters. Ever since Lady Pike had arrived and started helping to rebuild the Temple of Sarenrae, Amurii had taken upon herself the task of serving Lady Pike. Lady Pike’s arrival and assistance in the restoration of the Temple had started an increase in the number of restoration workers and Sarenrae worshipers. You could just feel Sarenrae’s warm presence all about. So, Amurii was happy, delighted even, to serve Lady Pike in any way.

“Lady Pike? I’ve brought you tea.” At Amurii’s knock, Pike’s door swung open, revealing Pike’s body on the floor, glowing with a warm light.

“Lady Pike!” Amurii put down the tea tray, rushed over to Pike, and checked her over. Pike appeared to be physically okay and the warm glow felt like the presence of Sarenrae. Not sure what was going on, but guessing it was a holy occurrence of some kind, Amurii carefully lifted Pike and placed her in her bed.

After making sure Pike would be comfortable, Amurii rushed out of the room and located the two strongest Temple workers, who were finishing up their day’s labors. “Sarenrae has come upon Lady Pike and she lies unconscious. I need you two to stand guard over Lady Pike’s room to help protect her until she wakes.”

The two workers readily agreed, grabbing what tools and weapons they had at hand, and followed Amurii to Pike’s quarters. After telling them to stand watch outside the door, Amurii pulled a chair over to the bed and sat vigil over Pike’s resting form.

* * *

 

Sarenrae took note of Amurii’s actions and was pleased. She had such wonderful children! Perhaps Pike will have a new cleric to train when she comes back.

* * *

 

Word spread among the followers of Sarenrae of Lady Pike’s condition and Amurii’s vigil. Food and drink was sent to Amurii, to sustain her in her vigil. When the door to Pike’s room was opened, the food carrier and the two worker-guards noticed that, while not as bright as the warm glow from Lady Pike, Amurii was faintly glowing with Sarenrae’s favor too.

* * *

 

After a sensation of rapid travel, Pike was greeted by a new vision. A Lady dressed in the finest clothes.

**_“I am Erathis, child. My children cry out to Me for salvation for the city of Whitestone, and for help for the warriors known as Vox Machina. Sarenrae sends you to help the warriors. I deem this to be good. My temple is the only place of the Light in Whitestone that still fights the corruption that bubbles up from the ground. It is the only place that is safe for you to arrive at. I grant you permission to use My temple as such. Keeper Yennen will assist and guide you. Be welcome, child. May you be victorious.”_ **

* * *

 

Pike found herself standing before an altar of Erathis.

“Praise Erathis, you’ve arrived!”

Pike turned around to find a man in the raiments of a Keeper of Erathis.

“I’m Keeper Yennen. Erathis told me you were coming.” He reached out and grasped her hand.

Pike stared at her hand, then the rest of her. She was glowing and she seemed to only be partially solid.

“You have been given a spirit-avatar body. Your real body is back where you came from. As long as your will lasts, you will remain here. Your weapons too.”

Pike looked and saw that she was dressed in her armor, equiped with her mace and shield.

“Come! You are needed, now!” With that, Keeper Yennen, wielding a staff, ran out of the temple. Pike ran after him.

It was raining hard. But the rain didn’t touch Pike. Each raindrop evaporated in a slight sizzle before it could touch her glowing form. A group of armed villagers marvelled at her as they formed up around her and the Keeper.

Together, they ran into the wet darkness.

* * *

 

“Fire! Bring fire!”

Pike thrilled at Vax’s voice. Her family was just ahead!

“Fire won’t help!” the Keeper yelled. “But, I can! And so can she!”

At the Keeper’s shout, the villagers parted and Pike could see Vox Machina. They were at a stone wall. Vax, Percy, and Keyleth were atop the wall, with a sphere of flame hovering above Keyleth. The rest were in front of the wall. Horrible sounds came from beyond the wall. Pike ran harder through the rain.

Momentarily astonished, Percy and Vax worked together to reach down to her from the top of the wall. She ran past Vex, Trinket, Grog, and Scanlan; all still frozen in shock from seeing her. Keeper Yennen lifted her up to Percy’s hand, where he and Vax lifted her up the rest of the way.

“Pike!”, Vex exclaimed, eyes wide as she took in Pike’s glowing form.

Keyleth gaped at her. Apparently worried that she was dead because of Pike’s glowing, not-all-there, ghost-like body, she asked, “Pike, did we die?!”

“No, no, no, you’re still alive! You’re still alive!” Pike smiled at her friend.

“How did you get here?! What are you doing here?! How did you get here?!” Vax’s bewildered questions spilled out in a rush.

Pike looked out over the undead skeleton horde that was on the other side of the wall. They stretched out into the distance on the street, their true numbers hidden by the heavy rain. She could see more than seventy skeletons armed with swords, spears, and shields. The crowd of them were pressing up against the wall. “It’s a long story! We can talk later!”

Just then, a skeleton reached up and tried to swipe Keyleth’s leg out from under her.

Percy, who had been watching for just such an action, fired his pepperbox at the skeleton. The echoing blast was immediately followed by the skeleton exploding into shards of bone.

Vex had Trinket boost her up to the top of the wall, both to get closer to Pike and the miracle of her presence, and to get more involved in the fight.

“Whatever you’re going to do, do it!”, Percy shouted as he fired again into the mass of skeletons. His shot blew off the top of a skeleton skull, but didn’t put the skeleton down.

Percy fired his gun again. This time the skeleton’s head was completely destroyed and it crumpled to the ground. But the skeletons were so numerous that the gaps left by the felled skeletons were instantly filled by others.

Keyleth, having recovered from her surprise at Pike’s appearance, directed the ball of fire into the skeletons. The incandescent sphere struck the skeletons, reducing seven skeletons into cinders and charring three more. But again, the empty space was immediately filled with more skeletons. There was just so many of them!

Vex, now on the wall, fired a Lightning Arrow into the crowd of undead, a ways off from the wall so as to not harm her friends. The electrified arrow struck a skeleton in the chest. Electricity arced through the skeleton, causing the skull to glow from the inside before the entire skeleton exploded in bone splinters and electric sparks. A spreading electric shockwave shattered twelve more adversaries. But the horde of skeletons still pressed forward, filling the cleared spot.

Finally, they could see the trailing edge of this horrific army. There seemed to be about sixty-five skeletons remaining in the street. Was taking out one or two, or even twelve-at-a-time, going to be enough?

“Grog! Get me up there! Pike is up there!”, Scanlan begged Grog.

Grog grabbed the back of Scanlan’s vest and hoisted him up to the top of the wall, next to the glowing form of Pike. “Go get ‘er!”

“Hi, Baby!” Scanlan said. “It’s been so long! Man, you look good! Uh, wu...ah… Aw, man! I’m so distracted by your beauty! Hey, let’s kick some ass together, shall we?”

_Dear Scanlan. I’ve missed you too._ “Yes! Let’s go!”

Pike knew how to deal with so many undead. As her companions gasped in shock, Pike leapt out over the skeletal abominations. And flew! Sarenrae’s ethereal Wings appeared on her back, carrying her out thirty-five feet from the wall before disappearing in a flutter of evaporating ghostly feathers, dropping her into the midst of the skeleton army.

Pike landed on the back of a skeleton and slid to the ground. As the skeletons reached for her, Pike curled around her symbol of Sarenrae and cast Destroy Undead. A golden, divine light burst from her crouched form in all directions. In a flash, all the skeletons around her disintegrated to ash, clearing the street up to the next intersection.

Pike grinned grimly as the rest of skeletons entered the street ahead of her. She had arrived in time to help her family! But, she would celebrate her reunion with Vox Machina later.

Right now, there was work to do.


End file.
